Andrew Young

Your conversion is coming along very nicely, will give some nice variety, often people underestimate how effective styrene can be for projects like this. Where did you get the electric headlamps from? Edit: having re-read your earlier post, I see the electric lamps came with the Fowler. My loco was missing the electric lamps, mine just had the oil lamps. Do you have any spare? Cheers, Andrew

Very nice plan Neil, not dissimilar to the one I'm using. Might help work out sizes etc. Cheers, Andrew

Yes, will look good, you'll have to get the polish out for that dome! Thanks for the tip about the luggage van, will have to look out for one next time I see their stand. Cheers, Andrew

Hi Neil, Glad it's not just me who's found life getting in the way of modelling recently. I like the look of the little luggage van, who's kit is it, or is it another of your eBay finds...? As for Tigger, suspect more hindrance than help!! Also, do I spy some more red locos than when you last posted? Cheers, Andrew

You do have a knack with buildings! Very nice. Cheers, Andrew

Interesting review, I too visited the show yesterday afternoon. Foreign modelling is not my core interest either, but that part of the show resulted in my 'best in show' and was worth seeing. I'm not s huge fan of roundy roundy layout, or Irish models, or 3mm scale, but I found 'Balleyconnell Road' to be an exquisite little thing. Well built, well run with signalling and operation that looked realistic and operated by a chap who was happy to answer questions. The show is much better for being back in the Sports Stadium and from the members I spoke to, were happy with the attendance. I must declare some interest though, my Dad is a long standing member of the Nottingham club and I was a member in my teens before moving away. Cheers, Andrew

Well... As Agenoria have stopped producing O gauge kits, I think you've got a free hand. Sadly, suspect this offering will be slightly too large for my requirements, remembering the photo on the Cwm Bach thread with the Victory and Ixion Hudswell side by side. However, hasn't Chris built an Agenoria kit of the Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0.... Doubt I could resist one of those! Good luck with this venture, will see whether my resolve wilts once the models appear! Cheers, Andrew

An interesting choice, sadly not one to tempt me.... Anyone else noticed that Chris is continuing the tradition of bringing out rtr models of the Agenoria kits he's built? Cheers, Andrew

The toolbox is a neat idea for the Peckett. May well borrow that idea for mine, having just ordered some nameplates for it, the Peckett may well receive some titivating when they arrive. Does anyone produce a 7mm scale padlock you can add to the tool box? Any loco toolboxes I've seen without padlocks have either had the contents nicked, or the contents replaced by something far less useful, like bricks or grease! Your 4200 tank has come out very nicely, will be a fine addition to Cwm Bach. Used to think they were brutish things until I saw the Bodmin one. Been to the Bodmin twice, both times 4247 has been the service loco and both times the Driver (by chance) had been a friend of mine and I ended up on the footplate! Since then, my opinion of them has improved no end! Cheers, Andrew

Thanks Peter, that would be great. Feel free to let the owner know that there are a lot of people envious of his railway! Cheers, Andrew

You might find that it's got nothing to do with copyright.... Reminds me of the introduction of their 0n30 American range where Bachmann made a serious commitment to developing the range once they'd decided to release more than just the Christmas gimic trainset. It was a case of either investing properly or not at all. You may well find this is the case again, Bachmann will only bring out a prototype narrow gauge 009 range if it were to do so in a large way in order to get sufficient return on their investment. A case of do it properly or not at all, it might be a case of needing sufficient capital to invest in their budget being the limiting factor? This is no cottage industry manufacturer after all. And just to confirm (again!), Bachmann scanned the real 'Talyllyn' in order to produce the Skarloey model, not developed from any CGI pastiche from TV! Cheers, Andrew

Were they? Hadn't heard of any scanning before the appearance of Bachmann last year. Which makes me doubt your claim. Andrew

Think the lazier cut barge boards has been money well spent. Only just found your blog and enjoyed reading through it, your layout's looking great. Cheers, Andrew

Simply stunning!

Your building and Rock formations are both very impressive. I know the area well holidaying in Tywyn often and your scenery captures the upland feel of the area between Corris and Brithdir very well. Cheers, Andrew

That's an impressive looking man cave! I'm slightly envious of your base boards too. Cheers, Andrew

Fantastic collection of wagons there. It's the private owner wagon that tempted me into standard gauge modelling from narrow gauge, though I've yet to try my hand at hand lettering yet. Good to see another using privet, on our group's previous 7mm narrow gauge layout we had a timber yard and saw mill and used privet for the logs on that too. Cheers, Andrew

For those of us unable to be at Kettering, suppose we'll just have to wait til 11.01 before someone posts news of what it is on the web... Cheers, Andrew

Hope it finds a good home. Shan't be tempted by another as with one Manning Wardle, a Fowler and a Peckett, the Melyn Quarry Company is already very well off for motive power! Seeing as it's mainly your doing Chris, something other than an industrial 0-4-0 next please..... Cheers, Andrew

Thanks John, I don't remember you being in my way, if it was, I apologise for not saying hello. I can only thank you for selling me the MW, that and my Fowler are sat on the shelf awaiting their turn in the Paintshop once I've finally decided what colour to paint them! I do have the plates now for both from Narrowplanet so shouldn't be long. Hope you're enjoying your Fowler? It's a cracking model and well suited to your new layout. Cheers, Andrew

I've had a love/hate relationship with resin over the years. But, when the kits are well manufactured with good quality patterns then they can be a joy to build and this is one of those. Far removed from the early open top cast resin kits with a wobbly top surface! Thanks Edwardian. Sure we can't tempt you up into 7mm scale....? Cheers, Andrew

Thanks Neil, my temptation has been an Isle of Wight style Minories layout with Terriers, an E1, an O2 and other oddities, Ryde St Minories anyone? But I digress.... My intention is to leave the Terrier alone until I'm building the kit version and then finish the pair off together. I've only a small Paintshop and there's three carriages and a wagon to finish first before starting anything else to have space on my workbench.... Then there's an attic and a layout to work on! Cheers, Andrew

Back at work on silly o'clock early shifts from today. An afternoon modelling session lubricated by plenty of tea seemed a suitable antidote. With the main construction phase completed on the Rother Valley coach, I made a start on the Saloon carriage. The recipe stand from the kitchen being very handy for the instructions downloaded onto the tablet. A short while later, after drilling all the holes required on the parts and with my fingers only stuck together once, the main body was secured together. Couldn't resist putting the wheels under and the roof on. Must say I'm impressed with the quality of the resin castings, with interior detail cast onto the rear of the main body sides and ends. Starting to get a feel for what the passenger set on the MVR will look like now. Cheers, Andrew

You are correct, the Terrier is on the shelf above the workbench with my Hudswell Clarke as well for comparison purposes of course! Will have to order some plates of course too. Thanks for the reminder about pva and lead, you can't have too many reminders of such things! I used "Super 'Phatic! Glue' which I'm told is safe to use with lead which I purchased from Eileen's with the liquid lead. Cheers, Andrew

Most definitely, I'm lucky to still have one and only a couple of minutes walk away. Whilst it's mostly OO boxed stuff, there's occasionally some secondhand to interest me alongside the usual paints and potions etc. Cheers, Andrew